About Martial Development

Martial Arts for Personal Development

Martial arts are among mankind’s oldest and most effective holistic self-improvement disciplines. When used to their full potential, martial arts offer far more than personal self-defense skills; they cultivate a wisdom and mind-body harmony that can literally change every aspect of your life for the better.

My name is Chris, and I have studied the martial arts for several years. I created Martial Development to share my interest in these time-tested practices, and discuss the benefits they offer to stressful modern lifestyles:

  • Health, strength and fitness
  • Intellectual and emotional intelligence
  • Leadership, confidence and personal empowerment
  • Efficiency and peak performance
  • Meditation and spiritual cultivation
  • Effective responses to fear, anger, violence and discord

Along the way, we’ll correct some of the popular misconceptions about martial arts.

You don’t need to retire to a quiet monastery, or join a fight club to gain from the study of martial arts. You can get started here and now. Are you ready to begin the journey?

More about this blog:

Note: Except where specifically indicated otherwise, all articles on this website are written by myself.

Blog Policies

Reviews
I occasionally accept books, DVDs, and other materials related to martial arts for possible review. No products are guaranteed a review or mention on the blog. Contact me with a description of your product to arrange delivery.

Guest Posts
Martial Development accepts relevant, high-quality articles from guest authors on a case-by-case basis. Contact me for terms. Do not submit unsolicited content without prior arrangement–it will be ignored.

Contact Me*

chris at martialdevelopment dot com

* These messages must pass multiple spam filters before they reach me. Occasionally, a legitimate message is lost. If you expected and did not receive a reply after 3 days, please try again or leave a comment.

** Do you have a question about the Seattle Martial Arts Club? It may have already been answered on the mailing list; please check before asking again.

29 comments

  4. You can participate on the website by commenting on, or linking to the articles.

    Those who are interested in attending practice in Seattle should join the mailing list, where we arrange meeting dates and times.

  6. i am training for the cration of my whimbs to engage a flying esoteric carnivalli roooted in freedom and copesectic with meditaton. i wish to learn levitation and eveentually seagull flight. have you heard of any interested groups or people wanting to levitate for the sake soaring through the heavens? lovingly pietrio…

  11. Just want to say thanks for being around. I’ve recently gotten done with another year of school (I’m a full time student, if you were wondering, which assumes you recognize me, which assumes that I’m worth recognizing), and in the last few weeks I was unable to keep up with your blog posts. They are a pleasure to read, and provide a wealth of ideas and discussion topics. We may not see eye-to-eye on all subjects, but I wholeheartedly respect and appreciate your writing. This marks the first time I’ve ever poked around the other corners of your site, which yielded me this convenient tool for expressing the gratitude I’ve felt for rediscovering your website.

    With all that said and done, I hope you never stop writing or practicing martial arts, and I hope that if I ever find myself in Seattle, you will join me for a cup of tea or something so that we may converse in person.

    My apologies if this came off as too personal or invested or stalker-ish,
    Thomas

  12. I can see auras and i am very young. I was in a coma when I was 7 does that have something to do with it. and I see different colors around different people like purple, pink, green , and blue are very common. I am very confused, is this normal for a person so young to see auras. i cannot tell you my age but i am from 11-14 .

  13. Thomas, you are welcome to stop by our weekly meetings.

    Sam, your experience is not unprecedented. What difference does it make whether it is normal?

  15. On seeing auras… I have a technique for showing them to people.
    It has failed on exactly 1 person, and worked on more than I can count.
    We all see them, but few are able to notice them.

  17. It is easy to show in person, but I’ve never explained it with printed words, it might be harder to do but here goes:

    You need a dark background of flat blue or black and you raise your hands index fingers outstretched in front of it. Keep your fingers about 2 inches apart and then move one up and down, look for motion between them, one side of the moving field will be fixed to the stationary finger, the other side moves up and down.

    If you can see it will seem like the light bends or is stretched by a distinguishable field. Just keep looking at it and then try to see where it ends and begins. You can call it an optical illusion if you want.

    Here is an old alternative method for learning to see, light a candle and gaze at it against a dark background. Look close for where the candle ends and the air begins, breathe deep and evenly. There is an aura around the candle like a halo from old paintings, look and see where this ends and originates.

    This like most forms of enlightenment is not a state obtained, it is a state utilized. You can easily revert to the normal sight habits, or in the case of enlightenment you can revert to normal thought structure. Still no man can see or think for another, so if it doesn’t work then just forget about it and move on with your day.

  18. I was just in the Seattle area not too long ago, any way I can get ahold of you Chris for the next time i’m in town so that i could possibly meet up with your group and train?

    my e-mail address is wsdma12@hotmail.com

  19. Nice site. Am goin gto add you to my blackberry. Have you, or your other folks, read any of Dr. Glenn J. Morris works? He was my instructor for many years while I lived in Texas and kept me under his wing as time went by until his death. Some of the questions I see can be answered in Path NOtes of An American Ninja Master or in his book Shadow Strategies of An American Ninja Master. I suggest that some folks with meditation, aura, kundalini questions read through those and the works of Mantak Chia. Just a thought. Have a good day. Nice site.

    Kuroi Tora

  20. Actually, Glenn Morris is one of my favorite martial arts authors, and all of his books are in the recommended reading list on the sidebar.

    I chose not to put any of Mantak Chia’s books there.

  21. Excellently themed site here. Although not in the Seattle area, I do like the overall theme you’ve proposed & look forward to reading your articles.

  25. Really enjoy this site. I teach martial arts for kids. Notice there is not category for that. I would be happy to support any efforts in that area if needed. Cheers.

  26. Hi Chris,

    I have sent out an email. If you didn’t receive it I will send another on.

    Kind Regards,
    Hassan

  27. I just so happened to stumble on this site on my hunt for relaxing my sacrum. It was the last page on my google search, and I almost missed it! Thankfully (and obliviously), I clicked the link.
    Thank you for wonderful information here! I’ll definitely be book-marking this place, and it all makes me wish I lived in Seattle.

  28. Great website Chris! Much, much better and objective than Bullshido which over the years has become unbearably toxic and has dedevelop a mob mentality. Keep up the great work!!

Add a Comment